Artemis Fresh Mix (Dry)

by Mike Sagman
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Rating: ★★★★☆

Artemis Fresh Mix Dry Dog Food gets the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.

The Artemis Fresh Mix brand includes eight kibbles.

Since we could not locate AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these products on the Artemis website, we’re unable to report life stage recommendations.

  • Artemis Fresh Mix Adult
  • Artemis Fresh Mix Small Breed Adult
  • Artemis Fresh Mix Small Breed Puppy
  • Artemis Fresh Mix Small Breed Senior
  • Artemis Fresh Mix Maximal Dog (5 stars)
  • Artemis Fresh Mix Medium/Large Breed Puppy
  • Artemis Fresh Mix Weight Management (3 stars)
  • Artemis Fresh Mix Medium/Large Breed Senior (3 stars)

Artemis Fresh Mix Small Breed Adult was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

Artemis Fresh Mix Small Breed Adult

Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 28% | Fat = 17% | Carbs = 48%

Ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, turkey, fish meal, barley, brown rice, rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), oatmeal, millet, potatoes, egg product, tomato pomace, duck, salmon, flaxseed, flavor enhancer, salmon oil (a source of dha), choline chloride, dried chicory root, dried skim milk, kelp, carrots, apples, tomatoes, blueberries, spinach, cranberries, rosemary extract, parsley flake, pea powder, green tea extract, barley grass extract, l-carnitine, Enterococcus faecieum, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saccharomyces cerevesiae fermentation solubles, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.3%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

Estimated Nutrient Content
MethodProteinFatCarbs
Guaranteed Analysis25%15%NA
Dry Matter Basis28%17%48%
Calorie Weighted Basis24%35%41%

The first ingredient in this product lists chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.

After processing, this item would probably occupy a lower position on the list.

Which brings us to chicken meal… the second and (most likely) the predominant meat ingredient in this dog food.

Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The third ingredient is turkey. Like chicken, turkey consists mostly of water. So, it is subject to the same moisture loss after cooking. After processing, this item would occupy a lower relative position on the list.

The fourth item is fish meal. Like chicken meal, fish meal can be considered another protein-rich meat concentrate.

Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. The term “fish” does little to adequately describe this ingredient.

Fish meal is commonly made from the by-products of commercial fish operations.

We are pleased to note that, unlike many fish meals, this particular item appears1 to be ethoxyquin-free.

The fifth ingredient lists barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. Unlike grains with a higher glycemic index (like rice), barley can help support stable blood sugar levels in dogs.

The sixth item lists brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.

The seventh ingredient mentions rice. Is this whole grain rice, brown rice or white rice? Since the word “rice” doesn’t tell us much, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this item.

The eighth ingredient includes chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken… a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.

Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid… an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Though it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is a quality ingredient.

The ninth ingredient is oatmeal… a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally rich in B-vitamins, fiber and is also (unlike many other grains) gluten-free.

The tenth ingredient is millet… gluten-free grains harvested from certain seed grasses. Millet is hypoallergenic and naturally rich in B-vitamins and fiber… as well as other essential minerals.

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.

But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.

With three notable exceptions…

First, tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient… a by-product left after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.

Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content… while others scorn it as an inexpensive pet food filler.

Just the same, there’s probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.

Next, the manufacturer appears to have applied friendly bacteria to the surface of the kibble after cooking. These special probiotics are used to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.

And lastly, we also note this dog food contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.

Artemis Fresh Mix Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredients alone, Artemis Fresh Mix appears to be an above-average dry dog food.

But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 28%, a fat level of 17% and estimated carbohydrates of about 48%.

Due to their apparent lower meat content, we have downgraded the ratings of the Weight Management and Medium/Large Breed Senior formulas to just three stars.

Excluding the higher rated “Maximal Dog” and the lower rated foods mentioned in the previous paragraph, the remaing group features an average protein content of 28% and a mean fat level of 16%.

Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 48% for the overall product line.

Average protein. Average fat. And average carbohydrates when compared to a typical dry dog food.

With no sign of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.

Bottom line?

Artemis Fresh Mix dry dog food is a grain-based kibble using a moderate amount of chicken or lamb meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.

Highly recommended.

Those looking for a wet food from the same company may wish to visit our review of Artemis Fresh Mix canned dog food.

A Final Word

This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in specific health benefits for your pet.

For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to read our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews”

Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.

Have an opinion about this dog food… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.

Notes and Updates

03/25/2010 Original review
10/25/2010 Review updated
10/25/2010 Last Update

  1. Artemis Customer Service, 10/25/2010 ↩
Dog Food Advisor IconThe Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.


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  • Gerriellen

    Have her checked for diabetis.

  • Aris

    i also don’t understand why orijen/acana don’t do well in europe. i’m from greece and my bullmastiff is thriving on orijen/acana….
    mike, well done for your site, it’s a 5*!!!!

  • sevag

    I will commenting on this website after this time as I understand you are not taking my arguments well. I had the same response from other dog rating websites. Lastly, to do justice to my comment about Lamb to Taurine: Lamb is the lowest meat in taurine and a food simply high in lamb is not of a sufficient nutritional value as it lacks taurine. http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/vmb/aal/pdfs/Torres.pdf

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Sevag… There are so many things in your comment that border on the absurd I thought about not even responding to them. The last time you were here you criticized my ratings because I didn’t take into consideration the climate of the geographical location where each dog food is consumed. Now you’re suggesting I place holistic, hypoallergenic and vegan dog foods in their own separate categories.

    Sevag, are you aware terms like “holistic” and “hypoallergenic” are undefined and unregulated (when it comes to dog food marketing)? There’s no official definition of holistic dog food by any government agencies I’m aware of… not even by AAFCO. Any manufacturer can print the words “holistic” or “hypoallergenic” on their packaging.

    Then you suggest I take into account something as obscure as the “lamb to taurine ratio”. Are you kidding me?

    By the way, sodium, ash and taurine content are only rarely printed on US pet food labels. But you want me to compute various ratios and account for these ingredients, too?

    I am adding calorie-weighted analysis (ME basis) to my dashboard with my next software upgrade.

    Sorry, Sevag. I think I’ll have to pass on your other suggestions.

  • ShamelessRawFoodie

    Sevag – I thought your initial comment on July 4 was a bit of a stretch. But your most recent comment has some good points. I definitely see the benefit in having more detailed parameters in these reviews. Having said that, I also recognize how much effort it takes to provide the kind of analyses that you describe. Mike would need to hire some DFA assistants. There isn’t any way that one person can do all that work in their volunteer time.
    Mike has provided a valuable service here and he has been quite receptive to suggestions. He recently added RAW as a separate section. Previous to that, I was annoyed that all raw foods were 5*, even though some raw diets were obviously better than other raw diets. When Mike added the RAW section, he re-rated the raw diets, and some brands got lowered ratings, 4* and 3*.
    Although I think Nutrition Isn’t Rocket Science, I, too, would like to see Metabolized Energy ratings included in these reviews. That would be the ‘proof in the pudding’ so to speak.

  • Michelle

    sevag- first of all his name is Mike not Mark. If you are so intelligent, why don’t you start your own website, in your own country and then YOU can rate all the dog foods that are best suited for your geographic location, with all your listed criteria. What you are asking Dr. Sagman to do is TOTALLY RIDICULOUS.

  • sevag

    Hi Mark,
    My intention was not to offend your great work or your website which was one of the first alongside petfoodanalysis to be available at the first page of google search to most clients in Europe and Asia, most of whom use google as their main research tool just like in North America.
    Since your website has a great impact on so many consumers in the world, and eventually affect decisions which will affect pets. It is my opinion shared over the years alongside many experienced colleagues in the industry within and outside US that pet foods should not be rated with stars based on what is simply labeled on paper and not tried and tested alongside many important aspects beyond their ingredients not taken into consideration when grading foods. There are many aspects which have shown to be of great importance in academic research that all ratings websites I tried to find are missing including this website.
    As for the way you are grading them, please see some of the things I would like to note, please do not take them personally, I am not trying to judge you I am just trying to voice my opinion which I see you respect and attend to.
    For example: Grain Free, Holistic, Single Protein, Limited Ingredient Diet, Hypo-allergenic, Organic, sensitive and vegan formulas are totally different categories that are formulated to address different nutritional needs independent of each other and it is unfair to categorize them in one basket. Would you be able to do this with human food?
    Other important nutritional factors
    - Ash to Dry Matter is important aspect that’s not considered.
    - Metabolized Energy is not considered
    - Lamb to Taurine Ratio
    - Salt and Sodium Content
    —
    I hope you will see my points as food for thought as I have no hidden motives, except to make sure consumers do not take these information for granted when many important aspects are not included. I will mention again that your work is great and I respect the time you have dedicated for such a noble cause to inform the consumers without any financial benefits in return.

  • Gordon

    Sevag – I don’t mean to tell you to ‘suck eggs’ figuratively speaking, but you, as an importer should be aware of your country’s Custom’s importation regulations, what ever they may be.

    I’m only bringing to your attention here (In case you haven’t considered, and to eliminate possibilities) – Could those fatal losses of peoples’ dogs be from gamma irradiation? Numerous cats in Australia died in 2008 from Orijen because Champion Foods in Canada and the Australian importer supposedly didn’t check with Australian Customs, that such imported pet foods were required to be gamma irradiated, and Orijen was gamma irradiated with out such treatment of the product being advised to the Australian Pet Food industry and public.

    You’re right about the fact that humidity and weather conditions playing a part of these foods in storage could be a factor, and that such North American exported foods could also have been manufactured 12 months or longer before even hitting the shelves of the destination countries’ retailers. A factor making pet food fat and oil rancidity, another possible cause of illnesses.

    But in fairness to Mike’s website and other similar ones, there’s no way on Earth that anyone could possibly expect, a website base their ratings on your proposed criteria. How could any website know how long a certain product is stored before shipment, whether gamma irradiation takes place, what storage facilities are used, the temperature inside them, and what each country’s Customs importation regulations are? That’s impossible!

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Sevag… Our ratings have nothing whatsoever to do with “weather (hot/humid), living conditions, exercise, age vs previous feeding habits, high meat/protein vs sodium levels”.

    What’s more, I’m not sure how anyone could possibly rate dog foods based upon each reader’s global location, climate and all the other parameters you seem to think are necessary to properly rate pet food.

    Yes, Sevag. I’m from North America. And yes, this is a US-based website. And since you appear to have missed the FAQ link found at the top of every page, here’s a link that explains how I rate dog food.

    Maybe you (as a profit-seeking importer of pet food) might want to look for another website located within your own country. One that bases its ratings on your geographical area. And not ours.

    One that uses labeling standards designed for the specific country of your customers. And not those used here in the US and Canada.

    After all, since you suggested “looking beyond AAFCO”, did you happen to notice that AAFCO stands for the Association of American Feed Control Officials?

    You also said, “Please use a disclaimer on your website… every time you rate”.

    Are you kidding me? How could you possibly have missed the following disclaimer located at the end of every one of the 500+ reviews located on this website…

    This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in specific health benefits for your pet.

    For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to read our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews”.

    Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.

    After reading your extraordinary expectations, it’s obvious you’ve acted with complete negligence when you chose to use US labeling laws, AAFCO standards and this North American website to recommend and sell pet foods to your International clients.

    It looks to me like your own poor judgment as a businessman and your careless misuse of the information presented here may have been the real cause of all those losses for your customers.

    Not my reviews.

  • Sevag

    Hi Mike, I used to direct all our end clients to your website but in the last year I have learned to disagree with your ratings as well as dog food analysis and other ratings sites I have seen recently because you guys do not consider very important aspects when rating like weather (hot/humid), living conditions, exercise, age vs previous feeding habits, high meat/protein vs sodium levels and looking beyond AAFCO and look into medical journals and latest academic research available Internationally not only in US and Canada. Most of the 5 star rated pet foods you have listed did not work in all countries geographically located below Miami. As an importer of quality pet food brands I have discussed with importers and breeders from over 60 countries in the middle and southern hemisphere and most have agreed with me that ratings sites should be regulated as most end users in North America and Europe use them as a primary research tool.
    In Europe Artemis Fresh Mix works better than Orijen, Acana, TOTW, Before Grain, etc 5 stars… except in Scandinavia and countries with similar weather. Most 5 star rated pet foods caused near fatal results especially with larger breeds and caused distributors thousands in losses. Please use a disclaimer in your website mentioning your references every time you rate.

  • marquise

    thanks Mike and Gordon. Yes, is a 17 years full of happiness. Moe’d been through thorough vet check, and all things basically very good for his age. The vet advise, weight loosing is quite common for a dog that old, but I just want the best for him. I’ll started the Artemis yesterday, hope it’ll help him gain some weight…..

  • Gordon

    I was going to say, marquise, 17 years of age is pretty good life span so far for your beloved Pomeranian. Like Mike says, 17 years is old age for dogs, and you might want to check with your Vet first, to clear any possible arising health issues. But Artemis Senior Mix, I’d say would be appropriate as the formula’s name suggests. The kibble is probably a little softer as well, for older dogs to be able to crunch on it if their teeth condition isn’t so good. Give it a go. I can vouch for the Small Breed Puppy Mix and the Maximal formulas.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Marquise… Although weight loss can be related to dietary changes, it can also be a sign of an underlying health problem (especially at 17 years of age). If the weight loss is associated with your dog’s diet, then it is much more likely due to the amount of calories you’re serving than the ingredients in the food. Be sure to adjust the serving size up or down to compensate for the change in products.

    If these symptoms continue or you notice any other signs of distress, be sure to consult with your dog’s vet. Hope this helps.

  • marquise

    my moe is a 17 years poemeranian. He’s started loosing weight very fast and now i can feel all the bones. Can someone please advise if nutrient in artemis small dog senior would be sufficient for him. I used to feed canned food with low protein, and started him on cooked meat and potatoes diet since last month. He love it but keep loosing weight.

  • Gordon

    Hi Claudia – I’d be happy to share my experience in answering your question. While I’m not familiar with the Artemis Fresh Mix Adult, I am familiar with the Artemis Fresh Mix Maximal grain free and the Fresh Mix Small Puppy kibbles.

    The Maximal which is really high in protein, but mostly from one meat source, seems like a softer kibble compared to the Small Breed Puppy mix and other brands of kibble I’ve touched before. My JRT loves the Maximal and eats it with out issue. Having said this, she is 2 and half years old and very active, so is much younger and probably more vibrant in her energy levels than your dog.

    At any rate, I would personally discourage you from feeding Beneful and similar poor quality brands and if you only had a choice between Beneful and Artemis health-wise, I would choose Artemis hands down.

    Your dog being 11 years old may have its system so used to Beneful that it may also behoove it to stay on Beneful. It’s like the analogy – A smoker who’s smoked all their lives and are succumbing to a treatable illness that may or may not be attributable to their smoking, it would probably be better for that person to stay smoking because their system is so used to it. At least I’ve heard many medical specialists’ advise so, especially until they have their illness either contained or cured.

    I’m yet to know more about protein levels and dogs of elder states as I’m reading a lot of literature from various sources and continue self educating and believe elder dogs don’t require as much protein, but I believe if your dog is a larger breed despite her age, the Artemis Maximal kibble, should be OK, however it should then be fed it in smaller serves of it. They do have Artemis Small breed and Medium/Large breed senior formulas that whilst do contain some grains, does contain potato and as the latter are formulated for senior breeds, I would imagine that the kibble would be somewhat softer. The Small Puppy mix I use for my TT, is a harder kibble in comparison to the Maximal one.

    The other side of the coin tactical-wise, and whilst the cliche goes, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”, many experts disagree and you may be able to ween your dog on Artemis or something else by using the ‘Take the bowl away after 15 or 20 minutes’ method. This means that whilst you’re weening your dog to a new food over a week’s period, and then it’s on its new food, but it now won’t eat all of it or not at all, you take the its bowl away after 15 to 20 minutes, and return its bowl only when your dog’s due for its next meal time. Obviously top up the bowl to the serving size if it did eat some of it before. But whilst this is hard for many to do because we feel sorry for our loved ones, you have to be cruel to be kind and take it from me, this method works to a tea, and your dog will soon eat what you want it to eat.

    Another suggestion I would make, is why not ween your dog onto raw foods which come frozen and you simply thaw it in the fridge over night and it is much softer and more natural than kibble, not mention a whole lot healthier! I feed my dogs and recommend BARF. I actually alternate between BARF and quality kibble to minimise the expense, as superior formulated raw foods like BARF alone can become very expensive.

    Any way, I hope I have been of some help and wish you good luck in the pursuit of better dog foods.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Claudia… There are many quality (and tastier) wet foods listed on our website. You may try a feeding method known as topping. This involves mixing a quality canned food with a kibble. You can read more about how to do it in our FAQ. Look for the topic, “How to Feed a Dog”. Hope this helps.

  • Claudia

    Hi there,

    I switched from bad Beneful to Artemis for our dog who is 11 years old. When we were mixing it to get rid of the old brand he ate it fine. Now that it’s only the Artemis, he is not eating it unless we put the gravey topping on it or some snacks in it and even with that at times, he doesn’t eat it. So I am assuming he doesn’t like it. I think he liked the beneful because it was a softer dry food because of his teeth but I am not for certain. My Mom had tried three different brands before finding the Beneful but after seeing that it was a 1 star dog food, I switched it. Is there another decent brand of dry dog food that has soft kibble for him? He does LOVE the wet food.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Joanne… Protein can become important in cases of advanced kidney disease. In any case. since I’m not a veterinarian, I cannot provide specific health advice or product recommendations. Please see our FAQ page and our reviews for more information. Or check back for a possible response from one of our other readers.

  • Joanne

    My dog 13 yrs Retreaver has beginning kidney failure. I am looking for a high quality dog food that does not contain junk. Anny suggestions. Vet suggested low protien but I read that is not important.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Gary… I responded to your question in the Comments section of the Artemis Osopure review. Hope this helps.

  • gary

    Hi Mike,
    I’m seeking a good quality food with reasonable (but not excessive) protein levels….Artemis Fresh for Med/Large Breed Puppies has 27% protein and 13% fat compared to the adult variety……Can this be fed to my soon-to-be 9y.o. vizsla or would you suugest the Osopure adult variety. I like the Canidae grain free protein % however their foods seem to contain ethoxyquin……

    Thanks Gary.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Jonathan… Once again, thanks for contributing another well-argued comment. And of course, you’re right. There’s a huge difference between a a food containing only a “trace” of a particular nutrient versus a usable “therapeutic dose”. Many dog food companies like to boast (in a completely misleading way) about a product’s glucosamine and chondroitin content when (in fact) there’s not really enough of the these nutrients present to make any notable difference to the health of a dog. Thanks again for sharing this thoughtful comment.

  • Jonathan

    Large breed foods tend to advertise that they contain glucosamine and chondroitin which are believed to be good for joint health in larger animal (and people!). Problem is, if you look at how much is actualy in the food, they list it as ppm or mg/kg on the guaranteed analysis. Parts per million or milligrams per kilogram. Basicaly what that means is that those ingredients are not present at a “medicinal” level, not that a “medicinal” level has even been determined. But generaly, a supplement containing glucosamine and chondroitin would have about 300 mg of each per pill that the dog would take daily. Just getting it from the food, it would take a kilogram of kibble to get the same amount. That’s about 2.2 pounds of food they would have to eat per day just to get the minimum amount you would want to give to a small dog. So if you want to help your large breed pup out, get him a supplement. Zukes makes “hip action” treats that contain glucosamine and chondroitin at a theoretically medicinal level (I happen to think there is truth to the stuff!).

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Heather… Since I’m not a veterinarian, it would be misleading for me to suggest a particular dog food would be helpful for your puppy’s condition. However, there are a number of other 4 and 5-star puppy foods that may be helpful. Although some may disagree, I’m not sure the food needs to be specifically designed for large breeds. But is should definitely be labeled to meet AAFCO nutritional profiles for “growth” or “all life stages”. Adult dog foods are deficient of some of the nutrients puppies need for proper growth. If you do decide to switch, be sure to transition to the new food very gradually over 7 to 10 days. Hope this helps.

  • Heather

    My 19 week old (51 lb) lab has always been on the Artemis Med/Large breed puppy. Although I love this brand, I think it irritates his stomach. The last part of his stool is always runny. Do you have any suggestions for a large breed puppy that may be better for sensitive stomachs? Or maybe even another brand to mix with the Artemis?

    Any advice is greatly appreciated!
    Thanks!